Details for Patent: 6,998,107
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| Title: | Composition comprising low density microspheres |
| Abstract: | Low density microspheres, methods for preparing same, and use of same as contrast agents are described. The microspheres have a void having a volume that comprises at least about 75% of the total volume of the microspheres, and which contains a gas or the vapor of a volatile liquid selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, chlorofluorocarbons, tetraalkyl silanes and perfluorocarbons. |
| Inventor(s): | Unger; Evan C. (Tucson, AZ) |
| Assignee: | Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharma Comapany (Princeton, NJ) |
| Filing Date: | Jun 10, 2004 |
| Application Number: | 10/864,965 |
| Claims: | 1. A composition comprising low density microspheres having an outside diameter of from about 5 to about 70 microns, said microspheres comprising a polymer and having a void containing the vapor of a volatile liquid perfluorocarbon, wherein said microspheres, when combined with an aqueous solution to form a contrast agent, are suitable for administration to a patient either orally, rectally or by injection. 2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said polymer comprises a synthetic polymer or copolymer prepared from the group of monomers consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethyleneimine, crotonic acid, acrylamide, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, lactic acid, glycolic acid, .epsilon.-caprolactone, acrolein, cyanoacrylate, bisphenol A, epichlorhydrin, hydroxyalkylacrylates, siloxane, dimethylsiloxane, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, hydroxyalkyl-methacrylates, N-substituted acrylamides, N-substituted methacrylamides, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2,4-pentadiene-1-ol, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, styrene, p-amino-styrene, p-amino-benzyl-styrene, sodium styrene sulfonate, sodium 2-sulfoxyethyl methacrylate, vinyl pyridine, aminoethyl methacrylates, 2-methacryloyloxy-trimethylammonium chloride, N,N'-methylenebisacrylamide, ethylene glycol dimethacrylates, 2,2'-(p-phenylenedioxy)-diethyl dimethacrylate, divinylbenzene, triallylamine, and methylenebis-(4-phenyl-isocyanate). 3. A composition according to claim 2 wherein said microspheres comprise synthetic polymers or copolymers prepared from the group of monomers consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, ethyleneimine, crotonic acid, acrylamide, ethyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, lactic acid, glycolic acid, .epsilon.-caprolactone, acrolein, cyanoacrylate, bisphenol A, epichlorhydrin, hydroxyalkylacrylates, siloxane, dimethylsiloxane, ethylene oxide, ethylene glycol, hydroxyalkyl-methacrylates, N-substituted acrylamides, N-substituted methacrylamides, N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone, 2,4-pentadiene-1-ol, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, styrene, p-amino-styrene, p-amino-benzyl-styrene, sodium styrene sulfonate, sodium 2-sulfoxyethylmethacrylate, vinyl pyridine, aminoethyl methacrylates, and 2-methacryloyloxy-trimethylammonium chloride. 4. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said microspheres comprise synthetic polymers or copolymers selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyethyleneimine, polymethacrylic acid, polymethylmethacrylate, polysiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, polylactic acid, poly(.epsilon.-capro-lactone), epoxy resin, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(ethylene glycol), polyamide, polyvinylidene-polyacrylonitrile, polyvinylidene-poly-acrylonitrile-polymethylmethacrylate, and polystyrene-polyacrylonitrile. 5. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said microspheres are prepared by a heat expansion process. 6. A composition according to claim 1 where said perfluorocarbon has between 1 and about 9 carbon atoms and between 4 and about 20 fluorine atoms. 7. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said perfluorocarbon has between 1 and 4 carbon atoms and between 4 and 10 fluorine atoms. 8. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said perfluorocarbon has between 4 and about 9 carbon atoms and between 10 and about 20 fluorine atoms. 9. A composition according to claim 6 wherein said perfluorocarbon is C.sub.4F.sub.10. |
